


A Ghost To Remember

by Cherrydragon26



Category: The Sixth Sense (1999)
Genre: Gen, Growing Up, Internal Monologue, Musings of a worried mother, Post-Movie, about her special son
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:41:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21676195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherrydragon26/pseuds/Cherrydragon26
Summary: Lynn Sear is surprised by her son, and the way he grew up so quickly before her eyes. If he was not her son, she would think it was not possible for anyone to be so brave and understanding. And even the secret he shared with her didn't change her mind.
Relationships: Lynn Sear & Cole Sear
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	A Ghost To Remember

Lynn Sear knew the power and importance of secrets. She had a couple of them herself and knew other people valued the way she could keep them and also never burden them with her own. It was something she was proud of, accepting it as one of the skills that makes life easier to live in. Unfortunately that changed, when she started to notice her son's strange behavior.

It's not like it happened overnight, or that he suddenly changed into a different person, but there was something he was keeping from her. And at first she accepted that, and decided to let him be. When Cole is ready he will come on his own to tell her, she naively thought, full of herself.

But time passed, and her son became more closed off, and more scared than ever before. He started drawing people killing each other in many ways, and also building a forth of blankets and pillows in his room. Her son also went a lot of times to the church, for which she could not really complain, but it made her even more suspicious and cautious of the situation Cole ended up in.

It seemed much more serious than she thought, and the first time Lynn saw scratches and bruises on his arms, her blood ran cold. She couldn't believe anyone would ever abuse her son, but here was irreputable proof. Now thinking back on his behavior, Lynn started to see patterns that correlated to the way abused people acted, and she cursed herself for being so oblivious.

Angrily she called the parents of the only friend she though Cole ever had and told them everything she thought about bullies and the people who hurt others so they could feel better about themselves. Maybe it wasn't the smartest move, but she would be lying if she didn't feel much better after her tirade.

Now she only had to get Cole to tell her what happened and she can take the steps to rectify the problem. But her son was not helpful in the least in that department, which made her angry beyond measure. Why could other children hurt her son, when she can't fight back against it? When she can't help her son out because of the fear they instilled in him or maybe because of blackmail?

Whatever stopped him from telling his worried mother, was making her feel furious and helpless. Can her son get it done by himself? Can he actually solve it without her help? Does he even want her help? Lynn wasn't certain, and she didn't know how to act. It made things awkward between them for a while, and Lynn was feeling really sad because of it.

Until her son, told her the big secret he was hiding, and Lynn wondered if she was losing her mind. Especially when it turned out that Cole was telling the truth. Or he was just really knowledgeable about her grandmother. Whatever the case, Lynn decided to support him and help him in any way she can. He is her son after all. And she won't let him call himself freak anymore. Because if he is a freak for knowing things he shouldn't, then she is a freak for believing him. 

* * *

She still needed some time to cox out all the details that lead to the big reveal that her son shared with her. It turned out that the one who suggested that Cole should tell her the truth was in fact a dead guy. A ghost. A deceased child psychiatrist named Malcolm Crowe. And even if she knew he was dead, and her son confirmed it, she still feels indebted to him, and thanks the man for supporting her son in his time of need.

Lynn also feels a bit useless, and extremely displeased that she wasn't the one who Cole could consult in these matters, but really this was so out of her league, that the woman knew she would only had made it worse, not better. Lynn thanks the man almost every day, and hopes he found a nice and cozy place in heaven. Or wherever he ended up really.

Cole agrees, and sometimes she thinks that he expects to see him again, even if her son knows that is not likely. After some time had passed and they settled into a new routine, Cole confessed that he missed Malcolm more than he thought possible. Even if he had met many other ghosts both friendly and not, no one could ever fill that blank spot in his heart that is apparently reserved for Malcolm. Lynn understands and tells him it is completely normal.

She also misses her parents and her grandmother too. And that even the distinction of him missing an already dead person isn't a conundrum, seems to sooth his worries mostly. Lynn tries to help as much as she can. Even if Cole tells her it is enough and even too much, she just can't shake this feeling that he is lying. That her support will never be enough, and that she lacks something.

It almost feels like she is competing with Malcolm. Which is really hilarious if you think about it. She tries to outwit and be better than a dead person, a ghost, an apparition. It makes her cry more than laugh on some of the more harder days.

Frankly it is really unfair if you ask her. A dead guy that spent like a week with her son made more impact than Lynn who took care of him for most of his life. And beyond. Sometimes she wishes Cole would tell her just that. That she isn't needed, that he doesn't want her around, that he wants her to leave. However she knows her son would never tell her that. Cole is not a person who would ever react to kindness in that way.

Lynn feels blessed that she has such a good child. Because even after all that he had been through, all the stories that he told her (some of which still make her bones shake), even after all the fear and anger he experienced, he still hadn't lost his heart. That makes Lynn prouder of him than anything else in the world.

Cole tells her Malcolm was proud of him too, when he confronted his fears and helped out a dead girl who was poisoned. She believes him. And even if she wants to, almost desperately so, Lynn can never truly hate the man. Like Cole can never truly be afraid of him, even if he was afraid of all the other ghosts.

So that is why, even if that man makes her feel a myriad of emotions, the only one she ever acknowledges is gratitude. Because he had helped bring her son back to her. And if nothing else, she knows that she can forgive him for everything else just because of this. And quite frankly that is the only thing that matters to her.

* * *

Seeing her son grow up into a bright and beautiful young man, makes her both sad and happy. He could still see dead people, and with time he became better at dealing with them. Her wish that this ability will disappear with age wasn't granted, but at least Cole can now deal with them much better than before. It is not easy ( it will never be), but at least he knows what he is doing most of the time.

While he was younger, she even helped him with a couple of cases. None of those instances were pleasant experiences, but if Lynn could help her son not bear his burden alone, she would do it an heartbeat all over again . Cole was never enthusiastic about her following him around, but she could see that it made him breathe easier sometimes.

When there was a need for police or doctors, Lynn was always suspicious and she only gave full information to those she trusted. She vowed that her son would never end up in a lab as an experiment, and she would damn well accomplish that.

Of course it wasn't easy, and of course it wasn't cheap, but they managed. And after forming a circle of friends they could trust completely, everything was accomplished much easier than before. Cole evolved and flourished under her watchful eye, and Lynn wondered if Malcolm had anything to do with it. Maybe he was still watching down on them, helping them along as a guardian angel.

Cole sure seemed to think that was the case. And she didn't have the heart to say otherwise. Because who knew, maybe he was right? Her son knew more about ghosts and dead people than her, so maybe he was right about this too.

Lynn asked her son a couple of times, about heaven and hell. About life after death. He never gave her a straight answer. Out of the respect for the dead or maybe because he himself didn't know much about it either. Then one day an idea appeared in her head, and she decided it was important enough to share with her son. After a couple of days, of thinking it over, Lynn decided it was good enough to convey to her now adult son.

"Cole?"

"Yeah, mom?"

"When I die, I hope you don't see me before you yourself die"

He laughed at that, flashing her a crooked smile, that warmed her heart. He rarely smiled like that, and every time he did, Lynn was reminded of the past and how he was as a kid.

"Yeah, mom. I agree with you completely. I hope you don't have any regrets when you die too," he said it jokingly, but she could hear the note of worry in his voice. Not for the first time she wondered if he ever saw someone he knew and how he dealt with it. Did it ever hurt more to see someone after death than before? What happens when you mourn for someone just to find out, he or she can't pass on because of unfinished business? How does he cope with that?

She can't even begin to understand all the sorrow and pain. Because even after a lifetime of support and encouragement, Cole still hasn't told her everything. Some of the cases he has been on, will stay locked up in his mind forever, never to leave, never to disappear. Lynn knows this, and she doesn't blame him. She has already came to terms with it, and she could never expect that her son would share everything with her. After all he was only human. And everyone wants some secrets to stay known only to them.

So Lynn watches over her son, and she hopes Malcolm does too. And she also hopes that he will one day meet someone who will watch over him after her. Because when she is gone, who will be left behind to take care of him? Cole may be an adult, and he can take care of himself. 

However that does not mean, Lynn wants him to be alone. To deal with his problems alone. To go through life alone. She prays and prays to every known deity that Cole is taken care of, even after her death. And that if they ever meet again, she will find him with a fulfilled life and a happy smile on his face. Or with no regrets.

Because if the one who can see the dead, dies and has regrets who will save him then? Who will help him pass on, when he can't help himself?

Lynn hopes, and she prays, and she wishes and she pleads. Someone must hear her, someone can surely accomplish this. If nothing else, she at least knows Malcolm will help her, stand beside her. If he is even conscious enough to hear and understand what she asks of him.


End file.
